Ribollita – Hearty Tuscan Vegetable Soup, Siena, Italy

There is nothing like a warming bowl of soup to satisfy the soul. The Tuscan vegetable soup, Ribollita, is just the right recipe.

It was a chilly, fall Sunday morning in the medieval city of Siena in Tuscany, Italy. Famed for its cuisine, art, cathedral and Il Palio horse race, Siena is an ancient and historic marvel. When you arrive you can hardly believe you are there. It’s the scene of storybooks, postcards and movie sets.

Exploring cobblestone alleyways, stopping at every turn to take photographs left us in need of a warm, comforting lunch.

A small unassuming restaurant close to our hotel looked like just the spot.  How how could we resist a restaurant named for an Italian grandmother?

Seated at our small wooden table, we watched as the cozy dining room quickly filled with local families. Always a good sign.

You’ll find a hearty vegetable soup called Ribollita everywhere in Tuscany. In English, Ribollita means “reboiled”.  It is a way for thrifty Tuscan cooks to use leftover vegetables and bread from the week. Vegetables, bread and Cannellini beans; sounds like the perfect lunch.

A steaming bowl of soup arrived, it’s thickness created from bread cubes that have melted in. Just top with a little fresh Parmesan cheese. With every bite I quickly learned why this was the famous soup of the region.  Complete with a good glass of local Chianti wine, we had a warm and comforting lunch. We listened to the banter of Italian families around us, enjoying a good meal on a Sunday afternoon.  I couldn’t wait to make it at home.

Never having made Ribollita, I did some research and found inspiration from a recipe inThe Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten.

I’ve adapted her recipe to bring it closer to what I enjoyed in Italy. I added diced fennel and used less broth to make it thicker and homemade turkey broth (chicken broth will work fine). I also found that I needed less bread, using just 2 cups of cracked wheat sourdough bread cubes.

For a vegetarian version substitute homemade vegetable broth and leave out the pancetta. For high quality dried Cannellini beans, order from Rancho Gordoin Napa Valley, my favorite heirloom bean supplier. Their Cannellini beans are amazing, like big, plump pillows after cooking. You ‘ll find many more uses for them besides this soup recipe, so be sure to order a few extra bags.

Every time  I make this soup I will remember our wonderful time in Siena and lunch of ribollita.

Ribollita – Hearty Tuscan Vegetable Soup, Siena, Italy

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A satisfying, thick soup with vegetables, Cannellini beans and bread cubes that melt in to create an almost stew-like consistency. Perfect for a cold day when you need something warming, and a great way to use up vegetables and bread in the Italian tradition. I started with a recipe from The Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten and adapted it to what experienced in Italy. For a vegetarian or vegan version, use homemade vegetable broth and skip the pancetta.

Ribollita

Serves 6

Ingredients

½ pound dried cannellini beans (soak the night before)
3 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for serving if desired
¼ pound pancetta, diced
2 cups diced onion (1 jumbo or 2 medium)
3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
1 cup diced carrots (about 3 medium)
1 cup diced celery (peel it first, about 3 stalks)
1 cup diced fennel
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, drained, chopped and juice reserved
4 cups chopped kale (ribs cut out, then chop)
½ cup fresh chopped basil leaves
4 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade or low sodium
2 cups sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed
½ cup or more grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1)   In a large bowl, cover the Cannellini beans with cold water to cover by several inches, cover with plastic film and refrigerate overnight.

2)   Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45-60 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and continue simmering until beans are tender, about 15 minutes longer.  Set the beans aside in their liquid to cool.

3)   Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 5-6 quart pot over medium-low heat. Add the pancetta and onions. Cook until onions are soft and translucent and pancetta has crisped. Add garlic, carrots, celery, fennel, salt, back and red pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 7-10 minutes. Add tomatoes and reserved juice, kale, basil and simmer another 7-10 minutes.

4)   Drain the cooled beans, reserving the liquid. Puree half of the beans  with a little of the liquid in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Add bean puree to the pot with the vegetables, then add the remaining whole beans.

5)   Add any remaining bean liquid to a large measuring cup and add enough chicken broth to measure 4 cups. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add bread cubes and simmer another 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with a little more olive oil if desired.

This soup is even better the next day. I like it very thick as I had it in Italy. If you want more brothy soup you can add a little more chicken broth.

Ribollita Recipe (Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks)

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